Card punching and notching method and apparatus



July ,1, 1969 v R. E. GETTLE ET AL 3,452,925

CARD PUNCHING AND NOTCHING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed May 31, 1967 sheet of e L l w j ya f/ f5 000,@00/00n000n0/0000n00 87 w a W J W 'x0 0 0&2. [@gjgqofo 0 0(00 0 0,3930 0,00 0f."

July l, 1969 R. E. GETTLE ET Al- 3,452,925

CARD PUNCHING AND NOTCHINQ METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed May 51, 1967 sheet 3 of e INVENTORS July l, 1969 R E GETTLE ET AL 3,452,925

CARD PUNCHING AND NOTHING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed May 31, 1967 sheet 5 of 6 I- f I! 6%/ f umg d@ m54/ ,M

iframe/5 July l, 19169 R, E GETTLE ET AL 3,452,925

CARD PUNCHING AND-NOTCHING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed May 51, 1967 sheet 4 of e INVEN RS /l BY/M WM M/#Mkw #Wwf/96 July 1, 1969 R. E. GETTLE ET AL 3,452,925 D CARD PUNCHING AND NOTCHING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed May 31, 1967 sheet 5 of e INVENToR July 1,1969 R. E. GETTLE ET AL' 3,452,925

CARD PUNCHING AND NOTCHING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed May 3l, 1967 v Sheet 6 Of 6 United States Patent O U.S. Cl. 234-1 17 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method of punching and notching edge coded cards by punching every other notch site or odd numbered notch site of a row of lsites while simultaneously notching preselected ones of the even numbered notch sites located between the odd numbered sites, subsequently indexing the card so as to locate the even numbered notch sites beneath the punches, and punching all of the even numbered notch sites while simultaneously notching selected ones of the odd numbered notch sites. An automatically cycled machine is operable to effect this punching and notching function after selection on a keyboard or control panel of the sites to be punched and notched.

Background of the invention Automatic information storage and retrieval equipment has become a commonplace industrial tool. One of the most common and least expensive forms of such equipment utilizes edge coded cards as the storage medium. This type of card has one or more rows of holes representing coding sites along at least one edge of the card. Meanings are assigned to individual coding sits or to combinations of sites. The holes on a given card, appropriate to the entries to be punched on that card, and to the information contained thereon, are clipped open to the edge of the card, thereby forming coding notches at preselected ones of the notch sites. A sorting needle (or needles) resembling an ice pick tine is used as the sorting tool. When the tool is inserted into a given hole or notch site in a group or stack of cards and moved relative to the cards, the cards which have not been notched at the selected site may be moved relative to the cards which are punched at that sight so that the notched cards are thereby identified and selected for retrieval.

Most users of edge coded cards buy pre-punched cards and code them according to their own needs and the information to be stored on the cards. There are several disadvantages of buying pre-punched cards, among which is the necessity for the user of these cards to buy and maintain an inventory of pre-punched cards. Another is the necessity for the user to allow a long lead time after placing the order for the pre-punched cards with a card manufacture. Additionally, pre-punched or drilled cards are much more expensive than blank or solid cards without the row of holes along one or more edges.

It has, therefore, been a primary objective of the invention of this application to provide a new method and inexpensive machine for simultaneously notching and punching cards so that a user of edge coded cards may economically punch 4as well as notch his own cards.

Prior to this invention, there have been proposals for machines for simultaneously punching and notching cards but these proposals have met with limited commercial acceptance because of the excessively high cost of the equipment and in some cases the limitations such equipment impose relative to the spacing between adjacent holes or notch sites.

Summary of the invention The method which accomplishes the objectives set forth above comprises the steps of punching holes at alternate or odd numbered notch sites along one or more edges of a card while simultaneously notching preselected ones of the even numbered notch sites along the same edge or edges of the card. Subsequently, the card is indexed one notch site and the even numbered notch sites are punched while the preselected odd numbered notch sites are notched. This practice enables the punching dies to be placed alternately between and offset from the notching dies so that the dies may be more closely spaced than would be the case if all of the punching dies and the notching dies were arranged in a single row or series.

The apparatus of this invention comprises a row of male hole punching dies alternately spaced and offset from a row of notching dies on a movable ram block. These dies are cooperable with a stationary female die block to punch alternate ones of the holes and to notch selected ones of the notch sites upon movement of the ram block toward the female die block. The determination of which notch sites are notched is controlled by a series of electrically actuated interposers mounted upon the ram block. Actuation of these interposers is selectively controlled from a keyboard or control panel so that upon downward movement of the ram block, those notching dies -which are operatively associated 'with the selected interposers are caused to move relative to the card and effect the notching of the selected even numbered notch sites. After one stroke of the ram block, the card is automatically indexed one notch site, the interposer coils are automatically shifted preparatory to notching of the preselected odd numbered notch sites (all of which were previously punched during the -frst stroke of the ram block), and the ram block is moved downwardly so as to punch all of the even numbered notch sites and notch the preselected ones of the odd numbered notch sites. The ram block is then withdrawn from the card and the card is automatically fed out of the machine.

Other objectives and advantages of this invention will be more readily apparent from the following description of the drawings in which:

FIGURE l is a front elevational view of a punched and notch coded card. y

FIGURE Z is a cross-sectional view through the punching and notching dies showing a top plan view of the card illustrated in FIGURE 1 after all of the odd numbered notched sites have been punched and selected ones of the even numbered notch sites have been notched.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 but showing in phantom the holes and notches which are punched and notched during a second stroke of the punching and notching dies.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of the punching and notching apparatus of this invention.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged perspective view, partially broken away, of the ram block portion of the machine of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the die blocks of the machine taken along line 6 6 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a front elevational view of the machine of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view through a cycle control cam taken on line 8 8 of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 9 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 9 9 of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE l0 is an electrical circuit diagram of the control circuit of the machine.

Referring first to FIGURE 1, there is illustrated a seven field, five hole coded card 40 having a total of 35 notch sites located along the bottom edge 45. These sites are preferably equidistantly spaced although they may be arranged in groups of fields with the notch sites of each field equidistantly spaced but with the fields at varying distances from each other along the edge. Additionally, the notch sites may continue around the sides and top edges ofthe card.

A hole 41 is located at each notch site and is spaced inwardly from the bottom edge 45 of the card 40. Selected sites or holes are punched with notches 42 which extend from the bottom edge of the card into or beyond a diametral line of the punched hole. Those holes which are notched determine the coding of the card as is conventional in the card coding art.

The notches 42 may vary from the illustrated semicircular configuration, although a semi-circular notch is preferred because of numerous advantages which accrue from this configuration. Specifically, this configuration facilitates notching by a circular cross-sectional die 43 much larger in diameter than the circular cross section of the die 44 used to punch the holes 41. The larger diameter of the notching dies 43 eliminates the necessity for accurate positioning of the notching die relative to the notch site during the notching operation. If the card is slightly misaligned, the semi-circular notch will still completely open the hole 41 to the bottom edge 45 of the card.

Another advantage of the semi-circular notch configuration results from placement of two notches in adjacent notch sites. When this occurs, as illustrated at notch sites 42a and 42b in FIGURE 1, there is a resulting short tab 46 located between the two adjacent notch recesses 42a and 42b. If the notch recesses were rectangular in configuration, this tab would extend to the bottom edge of the card. By utilizing large diameter circular notching dies, the resulting tab 46 is very short and rigid. Consequently, it is less subject to bending and becoming caught and obstructing handling in automatic card handling equipment. Circular cross section dies are also advantageous because of the ease with which they may be ground on conventional grinding machines to produce inexpensive dies.

Referring now to FIGURES 4 through 10, there is illustrated a machine for automatically effecting the punching method which produces the card illustrated in FIGURE l. Generally, this machine comprises a frame 50 upon which is mounted a :motor driven conveyor 51, and a motor driven ram 'block 52 operable to effect the punching and notching of a card in the machine.

The frame 50 comprises a base 54, a pair of vertical corner bars 57, 58 and a transverse support bar 67. A housing 56 is pivotally mounted on the base so as to enclose the front portion of the machine. Preferably, the complete frame and housing is enclosed by a cover (not shown).

As may be seen most clearly in FIGURES 7 and 9, the housing 56 is pivotally connected to the base plate 54 by a pair of pivot pins 61, 62 which extend laterally from opposite sides of the cover and are rotatably supported in base support blocks 63, 64. A lock screw 66 is threaded through the top horizontal support bar 67, and is threaded into a lug 68 of the housing 56 to lock the housing 56 in a closed condition. By rotating a knob on the screw 66, the housing may be unlocked so that it is free to pivot to an open position about the pivot pins 61, 62.

A drive motor 70 and gear reduction unit 73 are mounted interiorly of the housing 56 between housing side plates 71, 72. When the housing 56 is in the closed position, as illustrated in FIGURE 9, an output gear 74 of the gear reduction unit 73 engages and mates with a driven gear 75 which, as explained hereinafter, is operable to drive the ram block.

A printing head (indicated only in phantom in FIG- URE 9) may also be mounted within the housing 56 between the side walls 71, 72. This printer also has a driven gear 76 mating with and driven by the gear 74 of the gear reduction unit 73 such that the motor 70 is operable to drive the printer 75 synchronously with the operation of the notcher puncher. Such a printer is a conventional piece of commercially available hardware which is often used in conjunction with edge coding notchers to print in rrnore easily readable form the coding on the punched cards.

As may be seen most clearly in FIGURES 4, 5 and 9, the punching dies 44 and notching dies 43 are vertically movable within a stationary female die block 80. This block 80 extends between and is vertically secured at its ends to the stationary vertical corner bars 57, 58 of the machine frame. Referring to FIGURE 9, it will be seen that the block 80 is generally rectangular in cross-sectional configuration and has a horizontal slot 81 which extends from the front side of the block inwardly through the punching die guide holes 83 and partially through the vertical guide holes 84 within which the notching dies 43 are slideable. The notching die guide holes 84 are all located in alignment in a common transverse vertical plane (see FIGURE 2) spaced rearwardly from the common vertical plane in which are located all of the axes of the punching dies 44. The forwardmost edges 86 of the notching dies 43 are located in a common vertical plane 87 which is located either in the same plane or a plane slightly in front of the vertical plane 88 which passes through the axes of all of the punching dies 44. This relationship is critical to proper notching of the cards because it insures that the notching sites punched by the notching dies intersect the punched holes at a location spaced either on or in front of the transverse diametral line 88 of the punched holes.

The lower rear edge of the die block 80 is cut away or recessed as indicated at 89 to facilitate chip removal as the dies cut the chips from the card. A retainer plate 90 is attached to the top of the :block 80 lby screws 91. Recesses 92 are cut in the rear edge of the plate 90 to enable the punching dies 44 to pass therethrough. The rear of tht plate 90 extends rearwardly into vertical recesses 95 on the front of the notching dies 43 to limit upward vertical movement of the dies 43.

The card conveyor 51 transports cards transversely through the machine. This conveyor 51 comprises a vertical support plate 96 attached to the front of the die block 80 and a series of belt driven drive rollers 97, 98 and 99 rotatable upon stub shafts 100, 101 and 102 which are xedly mounted in the plate 96. Drive rollers or pulleys 103, 104 and 105 are formed integrally upon the hubs of the steel drive rollers 97, 98 and 99. The rollers 103, 104, 105 are belt driven from a motor 106 bolted on the base plate 54. A drive roller `108 is keyed to the output shaft of the motor and is operable to drive an endless belt 109. The belt 109 passes around the drive roller 108, over a tensioning roller 110, around the drive roller 103, over the drive roller 104, beneath an idler roller 111, over tht drive roller 105, and back to the drive roller 108. So long as the motor 106 is rotating, it is operable to drive the belt 109 and consequently the drive rollers 97, 98 and 99. The rollers 97, 98, 99 are continuously rotating steel driving rollers which feed the cards into or through the machine so long as the cards are unobstructed in their passage through the machine. When movement of the card through the machine is obstructed, the rollers continue to rotate but slide on the surface of the card The slack take up roller 110 is rotatably journalled on a stub shaft which is in turn supported upon one end of a rocker arm 116. The opposite end of this arm 116 is provided with an arcuate slot 117 through which a screw 114 passes into a threaded aperture in the support plate 96. Intermediate its ends, the arm 116 is pivotally supported upon a shaft 113 so that the rocker arm and roller supported thereby may be secured in various adjusted positions by the screw 114 to take up slack in the belt 109.

To bias cards into engagement with the roller, idler or |biasing rollers 120, 121 are rotatably journalled on vthe outer ends of cantilever springs 122, 123 respectively. These springs 122 and 123 are connected to a support bracket 125 by screws 126. The bracket 125 extends between and is tixedly secured to the end plates 57, 58 of the frame 50. Thus, the rollers 120, 121 are biased by the springs .122 and 123 downwardly into engagement with the tops of the rollers 97, 98.

In order to bias a card into engagement with the roller 99 .at the output end of the machine, a biasing roller 130 is mounted above the roller 99. This roller 130 is rotatably journa-lled on the lower end of a vertically movable support bracket 131. A pair of screws 132 extend through vertical slots 133 in the bracket and are threaded into a stationary support plate 134 attached to the frame of the machine. At its upper end, the movable bracket 131 supports an adjustable screw 135 engageable lwith the actuator of a switch S4. In the automatic cycling of the machine, this switch functions to clear the control keyboard of the machine, as is explained more fully hereinafter.

When cards are fed through the machine by the continuously rotating rollers 97, 98, they are supported along one edge in the groove 81 of the die block 80 and along the opposite edge in a groove 165 of a transverse support bar 166. This bar is attached to and spans Ithe side walls of the housing 56. The middle section of the card then rides over and is supported upon a transverse printing support table 167.

Referring now to FIGURES 5 .and 7, it will be seen that the ram block 52 is vertically slideable within opposed channels 137 of guide rails 138 which are secured to the inside wall of the vertical corner bars 57, 58 of the frame. A pair of yokes 136 are machined in the opposite ends of the ram 52. Each of these yokes 136 is spanned by a connecting pin 129 which extends through an aperture in the lower end of a pair of connecting rods or arms 145, 146. At its upper end, each of the connecting rods 145, 146 is attached to an eccentric pin 147, 143 of a drive cam 149, 150, respectively. The cams 149, 150 are keyed to opposite ends of a drive shaft 151. Frame plates 152, 153 depend from the horizontal frame lbar 67 and rotatably support the drive shaft 151. The gear 75 (FIGURES 4 and 9) drivingly keyed to the shaft 151 is driven from the motor driven gear 74. Thus, the motor 70 is operable to drive the gear 74, and the shaft 151. Rotation of this shaft 151 results in rotation of the cams 149, 150 and the eccentric pins 147, 148 so that the upper ends of the connecting rods 145, 146 are driven in an eccentric path of travel. This eccentric movement of the upper ends of the rods 145, 146 effects reciprocating movement of the ram block 52 in the guide rails 138.

As may be seen most clearly in FIGURE 5, nineteen interposer coils 139, 154 .are fxedly mounted upon the rear of the ram block 52 so as to move vertically with the block. Each of the interposers 139 is essentially a conventional spring 'biased solenoid having a cyclindrical interposer block 140 attached to the front end of the armature 141 and an enlarged head 142 at the rear of the armature. Eighteen of these interposers 139 have a compression spring 143 sandwiched between the head 143 of each of the armatures and the rear walls of the interposer housings so as to bias the interposer blocks .140 rearwardly. When the coils of one of these eighteen interposer coils is energized, its armature is moved forwardly against the bias of the ,spring 143 so as to locate the attached interposer block 140 over one of the notching dies 43.

I'he nineteenth interposer 154 is located at one end of the ram block and has its interposer block 155 located over one of the punching dies 44a rather than over the notching dies 43. This interposer 154 is also iixedly mounted upon the rear of the ram block 52 so as to be vertically movable with the block. It is identical to the other interposers 139 except the spring 156 associated with this interposer is located between the interposer block and the housing of the interposer and is operable to bias the interposer block 155 forwardly rather than rearwardly. When the interposer block is moved forwardly, through a vertical recess 157 in the ram block by the spring 156, the block is located over the top of the eighteenth punch die 44. When the interposer 154 is energized, the block 155 is pulled rearwardly out of alignment with the top of the punch die 44a `so that the top of the die 44a may move upwardly into the recess 157 during the downstroke of the ram 52, as is explained more fully hereinafter in connection with the description of the operation of the machine.

As may be seen most clearly in FIGURE 5 and 7, the front of the ram block 52 has a longitudinal recess 144 which extends from adjacent one end of the block to adjacent the opposite end. This recess is spaced upwardly from the bottom of the block 52 so as to dene a bottom ledge or ridge 158 between the bottom of the recess and the bottom of the ram block. Eighteen grooves 159 are cut through the ledge 158 for the full depth of the recess. The punching dies 44 extend through these grooves 159 and have semi-circular heads 160 which overlie the grooves so that the heads of the punching dies are retained in the transverse recess 157 of the ram 52. The flat diametral surfaces 161 of the heads 160 abut against the rear of the recess 157 so as to preclude the punch dies from rotating within the die block 80.

The eighteen interposers 139 selectively control vertical card notching movement of the notching dies 43. When the coils of these interposers 139 are energized, the associated interposer block 140 is moved forwardly over the top of the associated interposer dies 43 so that upon subsequent downward movement of the die block 52 the bottoms of the selected interposer blocks engage the tops of the selected die blocks to force the dies downwardly. The die blocks which are located beneath unenergized interposers are free to move upwardly (see FIGURE 6) in the ram block during the downward stroke of the ram block so that these dies do not notch the cards.

To lift the notching dies upwardly upon upward movement of the ram block 52, a front plate 162 is attached to and depends from the front of the ram block 52. This plate 162 has a rearwardly extending lip 163 which extends for the full width of the plate and is engageable with a ledge 164 defined in each of the notching dies 43 by the vertical recesses 95 of the dies. During downward movement of the ram and the attached plate 162, the lip 163 has no effect upon the dies and simply slides vertically within the recesses 95; but during upward movement, it engages and lifts those dies which had been moved downwardly by engagement with the interposer blocks. The lip 163 is notched as indicated by the numeral 163a (FIGURE 5) so as to permit the punching dies 44 to extend through the notches 163a and slide vertically relative to the lip 163.

Cards fed into the machine move transversely over the continuously rotating rollers 97, 98, 99 until their movement is arrested by engagement with a gate 168 This gate 168 is pivotally mounted upon a -pivot pin 169 so that upon engagement by a card, the gate 168 pivots or rotates in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG- URE 7. In so doing, an adjustment screw 170 in the gate abuts `against and closes a switch S1. Closing of thiS switch triggers the machine cycle as is explained more fully hereinafter. Rotation of the gate 168 is terminated when a second adjustable screw 172 mounted in the top of the gate 168 engages a flange 173 of a bracket 171.

The pivot pin 169 which supports the gate 168 is mounted in and supported from the bracket 171. This bracket 171 is vertically slideable upon a stationary frame plate 174 to which it is connected by a pair of machine screws 175, 176. These screws extend through vertical slots 177, 178 of the bracket 171 and are threaded into threaded apertures of the plate 174. The support bracket 171 and attached gate 168 are thus free to move vertically a distance equal to the vertical dimensions of the slots 177, 178.

Vertical movement of the gate 168 and bracket 171 is controlled by a stationary solenoid 180 xedly mounted upon the frame plate 174. A yoke is machined into the lower end of the armature 181 of the solenoid 180. This yoke supports a transverse pin 182 which spans the yoke and extends through a hole in a forwardly extending flange 183 of the bracket 171. Thus, energization of solenoid 180 results in upward movement of the armature 181, the attached bracket 171, and the gate 168.

Upon energization of the solenoid 180 and upward movement of the gate 168, the continuously rotating steel rollers 97, 98 feed the card forwardly a distance equal to the distance between the centers of two punched holes or otherwise expressed, the center distance between two adjacent notch sites, until the card abuts against a second gate 185. This gate is also pivotally supported upon a vertically movable bracket 186 by a pivot pin 187. Upon engagement of a card with the gate 185, the gate pivots from the vertical plane in a counterclockwise direction until an adjustable screw 188 in the gate abuts against a forwardly extending flange 189 of the bracket 186. Prior to engagement of the screw 188 with the ange 189, a second adjustable screw 190 in the gate 185 abuts against the actuator 191 of a switch S5 so as to close the switch. Closing of this switch triggers the second half of the card punching and notching cycle as is explained more fully hereinafter,

The bracket 186 is vertically movable upon the stationary frame plate 174 to which it is connected by screws 192, 193. These screws 192, 193 extend through vertical slots 194, 195 in the bracket and are threaded into apertures in the plate 174. The upper end of the bracket 186 is connected to an armature 196 of a solenoid 197 by a pin which extends through a hole in a flange 198 of the bracket and into opposite legs of a yoke at the lower end of the armature 196. Upon energization of the solenoid 197, the ybracket 186 and attached gate 185 are raised so `as to permit a card to be fed over the roller 99 and out of the machine. As the card passes over the roller 99, it raises the roller 130, thereby lifting the bracket 131 and closing switch S4.

Electrical control circuit The electrical control circuit can best be described in terms of a functional cycle of operation. Essentially, this circuit functions to control the actuation of the interposers 139 and 154 so as to position the interposer blocks 140 and 155 over the dies and to move the ram block 52 vertically after positioning of the interposers.

A cycle is initiated by connecting the control circuit to a power supply which initiates operation of the continuously running conveyor motor 106. This motor iS operative to drive the feed belt 109 and thus the associated drive rollers 97, 98, 99 continuously so long as power is supplied to the machine.

Upon insertion of a card into the machine through the slot 199, it is fed forwardly until it engages the gate 168, thereby causing the gate to rotate in a counterclockwise direction and open the switch S1. Opening of the switch S1 (FIGURE l0) conditions the machine for a notching cycle. The operator of the machine should have inserted the card address information relative to the notching of the card into the keyboard prior to the insertion of the card into the machine. If the operator has not yet selected the card address on the keyboard prior to insertion of the card, he may do so at this stage of the machine cycle. Assuming that the card is to be notched and punched so as to produce the card illustrated in FIGURE l from a plain or unpunched and unnotched card, the pins PN-l, PN-S, PN-6, PN-9, PN-11, PN13, PN-16, PN-17, PN-22, 13N-23, PN-27, PN-29, PN-32 and PN-35 are all connected to ground through a conventional keyboard or control panel.

After the sites to be notched have been selected at the keyboard, the machine operator pushes the notch switch SA4 at the keyboard. Opening of this normally closed switch SA4 by the machine operator results in a one logic level signal being supplied from a 3.6 volt power source through leads 210 and 211 to a ip-op circuit 212. This one logic level signal to the Hip-flop 212 results in setting of the flip-hop 212 and a one logic level signal on the output lead 213 of the flip-flop 212. This signal on lead 213 is supplied through an OR-gatc 214 as a zero logic level signal to an inverter 215. The output of the inverter 215 is then a one logic level signal which is supplied to the base of a transistor 216. A one logic level signal on the base of the transistor 216 initiates or turns on the drive to the ram control motor 70 through a conventional motor control circuit 217. The motor 70 then starts to rotate and to move the ram.

Setting of the flip-flop 212 also conditions another ip-op circuit 218 by supplying a zero logic level signal to an AND-gate 219, the output of which is connected to the setting contact of the ip-flop 218.

Additionally, setting of the flip-flop 212 also results in a one logic level signal being supplied via a lead 220 to a flip-flop 221. This results in setting of the ip-op 221 so that a zero logic level signal is supplied from the flip-Hop via lead 222 to an inverter 223. The output of the inverter 223 is then a one logic level signal which is supplied to the keyboard via a lead 276 and is operative to prevent a new input from being inserted into the keyboard until the machine cycle is completed.

Upon 1nitiation of the machine cycle and operation of the motor 70, a cam 200 keyed to the ram block drive shaft 151 rotates in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 8. This results in a lobe 201 of the cam engaging and closing the switch S-Z. Closing of this switch S-2 results in a zero logic level signal being supplied to the AND-gate 219 on lead 224. Since there is also a zero logic level signal on the other input lead to AND- gate 219, its output goes to a one logic level which is then supplied to the flip-flop 218. This flip-flop is thereby set so that its output on lead 225 goes to a one llogic level. A one logic level signal on lead 225 is then fed to the base of a. transistor 226 in a switching and amplifier circuit 227. The transistor 226 functions as a switch in the circuit so that the output of the amplifier 227 is supplied via leads 228, and 229 to all of the interposers 139.

VIn the illustrated example, the even numbered pins PN-l through PN-35 are all now connected to the keyboard by the normally closed contacts K1-1 through K1-6, contacts K1A-1 through K1A-6, and KlB-l through K1B-6 of the relays K1, K1A and K1B. The preselected ones of these pins, pins PN-6, PN-16, PN-22 and PN-32 are all connected to ground by the keyboard. In other words, the coils of those interposers 139 which are located over those notching dies 43 which are in turn located over the notch sites 6, 16, 22 and 32, are now energized because their coils are connected to ground through the keyboard control circuit.

After the coils of the selected interposers 139 have been energized, the interposer blocks of the associated interposers are located over the selected notching dies 43. The motor 70 continues to rotate the shaft 151 with the result that the eccentric cams then initiate downward movement of the ram block. The ram block 52 moves downwardly until all of the punching dies 44 and 44a have passed through the card at the odd numbered notch sites and the selected notching dies 43 have passed through the selected even numbered notch sites. In the example, the selected even numbered notch sites are sites No.

6, 16, 22 and 32. The ram block then moves upwardly as the shaft 151 rotates in the clockwise direction. As the shaft approaches the position in which the ram block is fully raised, the lobe 201 of the cam 200 engages the actuator of switch S-3, thereby closing the switch S-3. Closing of switch S-3 results in a zero logic level signal on lead 235 to an AND-gate 236. At this time, the other input to the gate 236 is at a zero logic level so that a one logic level signal is applied to the output lead 238 of the gate 236. This signal is supplied via lead 239 to a hip-flop 240; thereby setting the nip-flop 240 so that its output on lead 241 goes to a one logic level. This one logic level signal on lead 241 is supplied to the base of a transistor 242. This transistor 242 acts as a switch to turn on an amplifier transistor 243. The amplified signal is then supplied via lead 244 to the interposer switching relays K1, K1A and KIB. Energization of these relays results in shifting (or downward movement as viewed in FIGURE l) of the contacts K1-1 through K1-6, K1A-1 through K1A-6, and K1B-1 through K1B-6 so as to connect the coils 139e of the interposers 139 to the odd numbered pins PN-1 through PN-35 which are electrically connected to ground through the odd number keys (not shown) of the keyboard. The preselected ones PN-l, 12N-5, PN-9, PN 11, 11N-13, P1617, PN-23, PN-27, PN-29, and PN-35 of these odd numbered pins are now connected to ground through the keyboard so that the interposer coil circuit is conditioned for selection and location of the interposer blocks over the preselected ones of the odd numbered notch sites.

Simultaneously with the energization of the relays K1, K1A and KlB, the gate 168 is raised by energization of the solenoid 180 which is connected in parallel with the three relays K1, K1A and KlB. With this gate raised, the card is free to move transversely through the machine until it engages the second gate 185.

Simultaneously with the energization of the solenoid 180, the parallel connected coil 154C of the interposer 154 is energized so as to move the interposer block 155 rearwardly out of vertical alignment with the punch die 44a. Thus, upon subsequent downward movement of the ram block 52, the punch die 44a will remain in a raised position and will not punch a hole in the card.

When the one logic level signal from the AND-gate 236 is applied to lead 238, it is supplied via lead 246 to a conventional counting circuit 247 A one logic level input to this counting circuit steps a first ip-op 248 of this circuit 247 into a set condition and simultaneously supplies `a zero logic level signal via output lead 249 to the first of a pair yof series connected inverters 250, 251 and to a capacitor 252. Momentary grounding of the capacitor 252 upon receipt of the zero logic level signal results in a zero logic level signal on the base of a transistor 253. Application of a zero logic signal to the base of transistor 253 results in a one logic level signal on lead 254. This one logic level signal is then supplied to the reset side of the flip-flop 218. Resetting of the flip-flop 218 results in a signal on output lead 225 going back to a zero logic level and turning -ol the amplifier circuit 227. There is then no power being supplied to the coils of the interposers 139.

At this point in the machine cycle, the motor 70 is continuing to rotate so that the cam 200 continues to rotate. Continued rotation of the cam results in the lobe 201 of the cam passing and again closing the switch S2. This again sets the flip-flop 218 in the same manner as was explained hereinabove with the result that the amplifier circuit 227 is again energized or turned on so that the interposers operatively associated with the selected odd numzbered notch sites are now energized. Setting of the Hip-flop 218 again also conditions the AND-gate 236. With the control circuit in this condition, the motor 70 continues to drive the shaft 151 so as to move the ram block 52 downwardly to punch all of the even numbered holes and notch the selected ones of the odd numbered notch sites.

Upon the upward stroke of the ram block 52, the cam lobe 201 passes and closes the switch S3. This results in both signals to the AND-gate 236 being at a zero logic level so that a one logic level output signal is applied to the output lead 238 of this AND-gate 236. A one logic level signal on lead 238 results in the counter circuit 247 being stepped a second time to a count two condition in which a second flip-flop 260 of the circuit is set. In the count two condition `of the counter circuit 247, a one logic level signal is again supplied via lead 254 to the reset side of the flip-flop 218. Upon resetting of the flip-flop l218, the signal on lead 225 of the flip-flop 218 goes to a zero logic level and turns off the amplifier circuit 227. This results in de-energization of all of the coils 139C of the interposers 139.

When the second ip-op 260 of the counter circuit 247 is set, a one logic level signal is supplied via the output lead 261 of the flip-flop 260 to the base of a transistor 262. A one logic level signal on the base of the transistor 262 results in grounding of the base of a second transistor 263 through a resistor 266. When the base of the second transistor 263` is grounded, a signal from a 24 volt power source is connected through the transistor 263 to the coil 197e of the solenoid 197 which effects lifting of the second gate 185, Upon lifting of the second gate 185, the card is free to move transversely out of the machine over the feed roller 99.

To stop the drive motor 70 and thus the cycling of the notcher, the one logic 'level signal on lead 261 from the counting circuit is supplied via a lead 264 to the reset side of the flip-flop 212. This results in the signal on the output lead 213 of the flip-op 212 going to a zero logic level. A zero logic level on lead 213 results in a one logic level signal on the output lead 265 from the OR-gate 214. A one logic level signal'on the lead 265 is applied to the inverter 215 so that :a zero logic level signal is then supplied to the base of the transistor 216. A zero logic level signal to this transistor turns off the motor control circuit 217 and thus the ram drive motor 70.

As the card passes over the roller 99, it causes the biasing roller to be raised, thereby moving the bracket 131 upwardly to open the switch S4. Upon opening of the switch S4 a one logic level signal is supplied from a 3.6 volt power source via lead 268 to a flip-Hop 269 so as to set the flip-flop 269.

Subsequently, as the card passes out of the machine, the biasing roller 130 drops downwardly to again close the switch S4. This results in a zero logic level input on lead 268 to the flip-flop 269. This zero logic level signal on the set input has no effect at this time upon the flip-flop circuit. The zero logic level signal on the lead 268 is also supplied via a lead 270 to a second input of an AND- gate 271 so both inputs to the gate 271 are then at a zero logic level. This results in a one logic level signal on the output lead 272 from the AND-gate 271. This one logic level signal on lead 272 is then supplied via leads 273 and 274, to the reset side of the flip-flop 221. Resetting of the ip-ilop 221 places a one logic level signal on lead 222 and a zero logic level signal from inverter 223 on lead 276. This zero logic level signal on lead 276 is then fed to the keyboard control to condition the keyboard for the next input of a new card address or coding information.

The one logic level signal on lead 273 is also supplied via lead 278 through a time delay circuit and lead 279 to the reset side of the flip-op 269. This conditions the ip-op 269 for the next machine cycle.

The one logic level signal on lead 273 also is supplied through a pair of inverters 280, 281 and a lead 282 to an OR-gate 283. A one logic level signal input to the OR- gate 283 is then fed through a non-inverting amplifier circuit 284 to the reset contacts R of the circuit. For simplicity in the diagram, all of these contacts have been given the designation R rather than being connected. This reset signal R is supplied as an input to the reset contacts of the fiip-op 240, the flip-flop 221, the fiip-flop 218, the flip-flop 212, the flip-flop 248, and flip-flop 260, the fiip-op 269 and a home flip-flop 290. Resetting of the llip-op 240 results in de-energization of the solenoid 180 of gate 168, the coil 154e of punch interposer 154, and the shift relays K1, K1A and K1B. Resetting of the flip-flop 260 results in de-energization of the solenoid 197 so that the gate 185 is lowered. The resetting of all of the other flip-flops of the circuit serves to condition the complete control circuit for re-cycling of the machine upon initiation of the next card punching and notching cycle.

To facilitate resetting of the punch and dies to the machine start position in the event that the machine is ever stopped in the middle of a machine cycle, such as might occur in the event of a power failure, a home switch S6 is mounted on the inside of the cover of the machine. In the event that this switch is manually opened, a one logic level signal from a 3.6 volt source is supplied to the Set input of a flip-flop 290. This results in a one logic level signal on the output lead 291 of the flip-flop 290 to the OR-gate 214. A one logic level signal on this gate results in energization of the punching and notching control motor 70 through the control circuit 217 as has been explained hereinabove. The motor 70 then continues to drive the machine until the lobe 201 of the cam 200 passes and opens the switch S3. Opening of this switch results in a one logic level reset Signal being supplied from a 3.6 volt power supply through a lead 293 to the reset side of the flip-flop 290. Resetting of this flip-flop deenergizes the drive motor 70 so that the machine is in a home position conditioned for the next card notching operation.

Operation In operation, blank or unpunched and unnotched cards are fed into the machine through a slot 199 in the left end of the housing cover and frame as viewed in FIG- URES 4 and 7. These cards are preferably made from paper board and are rectangular in configuration, although the configuration and composition of the cards is not critical to the operation of the invention. The card could as well be formed from plastic, film, etc., and could be of any desired configuration.

Upon insertion through the slot 199, the card is inserted between the steel drive roller 97 and the biasing roller 120. These rollers then feed the card through the second set of drive rollers 98, 121 into engagement with the first gate 168. Upon engagement of the card with the gate 168, the gate pivots in a counterclockwise direction until te adjustable abutment 170 on the gate opens the switch S-1. Opening of the switch S-1 conditions the machine for a vertical stroke of the ram block 52.

Prior to the feeding of a card into the machine, or after the card has engaged the gate 168, the information to be coded upon the card is punched into the manual keyboard or inserted into the control panel so as to select the ones of the interposers 139 to be energized during the machine cycle. After selecting the coding data and inserting the card, the machine operator opens the notching control switch SA4 thereby initiating a stroke of the ram block 52. During the initial portion of the ram stroke, the control cam 200 closes the switch S-2. Closing of this switch results in energization of the selected interposers so that upon downward movement of the ram block, the odd numbered holes 1, 3, 5, etc., are all punched and the selected even numbered notch sites 2, 4, 6, etc., are notched. During this initial stroke of the ram block, the interposer coil 154C of the interposer 154 is not energized so that the interposer block 155 extends forwardly into the recess 157 and over the punching die 44a. Thus during this initial stroke of the ram block 52, the die 44a is operable to punch the first notch site.

After closing of the switch S-2, the motor 70 continues to drive the eccentric cams 149, 150 through one ro- Cil tational cycle so as to effect downward and subsequent upward movement of the ram block. As the ram block approaches the upper limit of .its travel after one stroke, the lobe 201 on cam 200 engages and closes switch S-3, thereby de-energizing all of the interposers and conditioning the control circuit for the second stroke of the ram block. Additionally, the solenoid 180 is energized to lift the gate 168 so that the card is fed or indexed one notch site until it engages the gate 185 and closes the switch S-5. If a printer is mounted upon the machine, closing of this switch initiates actuation of the printing cycle.

The motor continues to drive the cam 200 so that the lobe 201 of the cam closes the switch S-2 for the second time in the machine cycle. Upon closing of the switch, the interposers 139 which are located over the selected odd numbered notch sites to be punched are energized so that the interposer blocks 140 of these interposers are moved forwardly over the notching dies. After closing of the switch S-2, the motor 70 continues to drive the eccentric cams 149, through a second 360 of rotation so as to move the ram block downwardly a second stroke. As the ram block 52 approaches its upper limit of travel a second time, the lobe 201 on cam 200 again engages and closes the switch S-3. Closing of the switch S-3 results in lifting of the second gate 185 and de-energization of the coils of all of the interposers 139. Additionally, closing of this switch stops rotation of the motor 70. The card is then fed beneath the gate 185, between the rollers 99 and 130, and out of the machine. As the card passes off of the rollers 99, 130 and out of the machine, the switch S-4 associated with the rollers 130 is operable to lower the gates 168, by de-energizing the solenoids 180, 197 and to clear the keyboard preparatory to selection of a new card address and the next machine cycle.

While only a single preferred embodiment of the invention of this application has been illustrated and described herein, those persons skilled in the art to which this invention pertains will readily appreciate numerous changes and modifications which may be made without departing from the spirit of our invention. Therefore, we do not intend to be limited except by the scope of the appended claims.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. The method of punching and notching an edge coded card having at least one row of edge coding sites adapted to be punched and notched according to a predetermined code, said method comprising the steps of simultaneously punching holes at all of the odd numbered sites .in said row of sites while notching preselected ones of the even numbered sites,

indexing said card a distance equal to an odd numbered multiple of the distance between adjacent notch sites and,

simultaneously punching holes at all of the even num- -bered notch sites while notching preselected ones of the odd numbered notch sites.

2. The method of claim 1 in which said card is indexed a distance equal to the distance between the centers of two adjacent notch sites.

3. Apparatus `for punching and notching an edge coded card having at least one row of edge coding sites adapted to be punched and notched according to a predetermined code, said apparatus comprising,

a block,

a plurality of hole punching dies mounted in said block, said punching dies being arranged in a single row and being equidistantly spaced in said row,

a plurality of notching dies mounted in said block, said notching dies being arranged in a single row and Ibeing equidistantly spaced in said row, each of said notching dies having a center line located medially of the center line of adjacent punching dies, said row of notching dies being parallel to and offset from said row of punching dies, and

means for effecting relative movement between a card inserted into said apparatus and said dies so as to eiect punching of holes at said coding sites and notching of selected coding sites of said card.

4. The apparatus of claim 3y in which said hole punching dies and said notching dies are circular in cross section, said notching dies being larger in diameter than said hole punching dies.

5. Apparatus for punching and notching an edge coded card having at least one row of edge coding sites adapted to be punched and notched according to a predetermined code, said apparatus comprising,

a block,

a plurality of hole punching dies mounted in said block, said punching dies being arranged in a single row and being equidistantly spaced in said row,

a plurality of notching dies mounted in said block, said notching dies being arranged in a single row and being equidistantly spaced in said row, each of said notching dies having a center line located medially of the center line of adjacent punching dies, said row of notching dies being parallel to and offset from said row of punching dies,

means for effecting relative movement between said dies and a card inserted into said apparatus so as to simultaneously punch all of the odd numbered sites in said row of sites while notching preselected ones of the even numbered sites,

means for effecting relative indexing movement between said dies and said card, said indexing movement being a distance equal to an odd numbered multiple of the center distance between adjacent notch sites, and

means for effecting relative movement between said dies and said card so as to simultaneously punch holes at all of the even numbered notch sites while notching preselected ones of the odd numbered notch sites.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which said hole punching dies and said notching dies are circular in cross section, said notching dies being larger in diameter than said hole punching dies.

7. Apparatus for punching holes in a plurality of coding sites of an edge coded card and for notching preselected ones of said coding sites, said apparatus comprising a. frame,

a card support mounted upon said frame,

a die block mounted upon said frame,

a plurality of punching dies and notching dies slideably mounted in said die block,

a ram block mounted upon said frame,

a plurality of interposer Iblocks movably mounted upon said ram block, said interposer blocks being selectively movable into an active position relatively to said notching dies, and

motor means rfor efecting relative movement between a card supported upon said card support and said punching and notching dies such that notch sites of the card which are located in alignment with said punching dies have holes punched therein, and notch sites which are located in alignment with selected notching dies having interposer blocks located in an active position relative to said notching dies are notched, and

means for electing relative indexing movement between a card located upon said card support and said die block such that said notch sites of said card may be sucessively re-aligned with said dies.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 in which said indexing means is operable to index a card a distance equal to an odd numbered multiple of the center distance between adjacent notch sites after a rst punching and notching stroke of said motor means and prior to a second punching and notching stroke of said motor means.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 in which the movement of each of said interposer blocks into an active position is controlled by an electrical solenoid, said apparatus further including an electrical control circuit for energizing a first set of said solenoids prior to said irst punching and notching stroke, said control circuit being opera-ble to de-energize said rst set of solenoids after said iirst stroke and to energize a second set of solenoids prior to said second stroke.

10. Apparatus for punching holes in a plurality of coding sites of an edge coded card and for notching preselected ones of said coding sites, said apparatus comprising a frame,

a card transport conveyor mounted -upon said frame, said conveyor being operable to transport cards through said machine,

a stationary die block mounted upon said frame,

a plurality of punching dies and notching dies slideably mounted in said die block,

a ram block movably mounted upon said frame,

a plurality of interposer blocks movably mounted upon said ram block, said interposer blocks being selectively movable into an active position relative to said notching dies,

motor means for moving said ram block relative to a card supported upon said card conveyor, said ram block during such movement being operable to engage and move said punching dies through notch sites of the card which are located in alignment with said punching dies, the interposer blocks of said ranr block which are in an active position being operable during such movement to engage selected notching dies and move said selected dies through other notch sites of the card, and

means for effecting relative indexing movement between a card located upon said card conveyor and said die block such that said notch sites of said card may be successively re-aligned with said dies.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 in which said indexing means is operable to index a card a distance equal to an odd numbered multiple of the center distance between adjacent notch sites after a iirst punching and notching stroke of said motor means and prior to a second punching and notching stroke of said motor means.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 in which the movement of each of said interposer blocks into an active position is controlled by an electrical solenoid, said apparatus further including an electrical control circuit for energizing a first set of said solenoids prior to said rst punching and notching stroke, said control circuit being operable to de-energize said first set of solenoids after said iirst stroke and to energize a second set of solenoids prior to said second stroke.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 which further includes a pair of movable gates for positioning a card on said conveyor, one of said gates being operable to position a card for a first punching and notching stroke of said motor means and the other gate being operable to position said card for the second punching and notching stroke of said motor means.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 in which said gates are movable into and out of a blocking position relative to a -card on said conveyor, the movement of each of said gates into and out of said blocking position being eifected by an electrical solenoid.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 which further includes a motor driven printer synchronized with the movement of said motor means for printing in uncoded form information on each of the cards passed through said apparatus.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 in which said printer is mounted upon a movable housing, said housing being pivotally connected to said frame.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 in which the motor of 15 16 said motor means is mounted within a movable housin 2,642,940 6/1953 Braun 234-38 said housing being pivotally connected to said frame. 2,762,434 9/1956 Smusz 234-38 WILLIAM S. LAWSON, Primary Examiner.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,049,003 7/ 1936 Ellis et al. 234-46 X U.S. C1. X.R. 

